Heating and ventilating system for motor vehicles



Dec. 27, 1960 F. R. WEYMOUTH, JR 2,965,032

HEATING AND VENTILATING SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 17, 1958AIR lNTAKE OUTSIDE 3 Will United States Patent HEATING AND VENTILATINGSYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Frederick R. Weymouth, Jr., Buffalo, N.Y.,assigncr to Trico Products Corporation, Buffalo, N.Y.

Filed July 17, 1958, Ser. No. 749,173

12 Claims. (Cl. 60-97) This invention relates to a system and componentsthereof for transmitting fluid pressure from a fluid pressure source tofluid pressure devices, and more particularly to a fluid pressure systemfor efliciently utilizing a fluid pressure source of a Vehicle foractuating automotive accessories.

In the past, there has been a tendency to rely on flexible cables andmechanical linkages for actuating various accessories of an automotivevehicle. The use of such cables and linkages has proved relativelyunsatisfactory because an undesirably large effort is often required toovercome the excessive friction thereof. However, an automotive vehicledoes possess a source af vacuum, namely, the engine intake manifold,which can provide the necessary energy source for actuating fluidpressure motors which may operate automotive accessories, therebyeliminating the need for flexible cables and mechanical linkages andthereby obviating their shortcomings. Heretofore, there has been aproblem in the use of pressure operated motors in a system where themotors are selectively actuable from a single fluid pressure source bythe use of a plurality of control valves which are remotely positionedfrom each other. More specifically, when a fluid pressure device isdeactuated, it is necesasry that the fluid pressure therein be vented sothat the device may assume its normal deactuated position. If one of thevalves controlling the device is vented, the fluid pressure source willbecome vented when the other valve attempts to cause the fluid pressuredevice to communicate with the fluid pressure source. It is, inter alia,with the solution to the foregoing problem in a simple and efficientmanner that the present invention is concerned in order to permit fluidpressure motors, with the attendant advantages thereof, to supplantmechanical linkages and flexible cable attachments.

One object of the present invention is to provide a system in which aplurality of control valves, which are remotely positioned from eachother, may individually actuate a fluid pressure device, such as a fluidpressure motor, from a single fluid pressure source. In order toaccomplish this, necessary structure is provided for permitting any ofthe valves to actuate the fluid pressure motor when the other of thevalves is in a venting position while at the same time preventing thefluid pressure source from being vented.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangementwhereby a plurality of fluid pressure devices, such as fluid pressuremotors, may be actuated individually by suitable control valves withoutrequiring a plurality of independent conduits communicating between asource of fluid pressure and each of the control valves. Other objectsand attendant advantages of the present invention will readily beperceived hereafter.

The present invention will be described in conjunction with a heating,defrosting, and air conditioning system for an automotive vehicle.However, it is to be understood that this invention has otherapplications in accordance with the above enumerated objects. Theprescut invention will be more fully understood when the followingportions of the specification are read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an automotivevehicle with the control system of the present invention installed; and

Fig. 2 is a view partly schematic, partly in cross section, and partlyin perspective, of the control system and the various componentsthereof, certain of the portions in perspective being shown in explodedform in the interest of clarity.

In Fig. 1 a portion of an automotive vehicle 10 is shown havingdashboard 11 on which are mounted a heating and defrosting selectorvalve or control 12, an air conditioning selector valve or control 13,and a control 14 for selectively causing outside air to be supplied tothe vehicle during air conditioning. Portions of a heating and airconditioning unit are within casing 15 which is suitably mountedunderneath dashboard 11 in any convenient manner.

When it is desired to actuate the heater for the automotive vehicle,control lever 16 (Figs. 1 and 2) is pivoted to the right about pivot pin17 which may be medly mounted relative to selector valve or control 12on the housing thereof (not shown) or on an extension (not shown) ofvalve body portion 28. Selector valve 12 is shown in exploded form inthe interest of clarity. When this movement of lever 16 occurs, cable 22which is aflixed to lever 16, will cause a valve (not shown) to supplyheated fluid to heat exchange coil 23 in casing 15 and also actuate aswitch which causes fan 24- to operate. The movement of lever 16 to theright (in a counter-clockwise direction about pin 17) will also permitslider valve 18 to move to the right under the bias of spring 19 whichis interposed between upstanding portion 20 of body portion 28 of valve12 and a protuberance 21 which extends from the rear of slider valve 18.When slider valve 18 moves to the right, it will cause communication offluid pressure motor 25 with a source of suction such as the engineintake manifold 25 in the following manner: Conduit 26 has one endthereof coupled to a source of vacuum (manifold 25) and the other endthereof communicating with conduit 27 which is within the body portion28 of valve 12. After slider valve 18 has moved to the right, thedepression 29 therein will cause communication between conduit 2? andconduit 30, which is also in body portion 28. Furthermore, conduit 30will be in communication with chamber 31 of fluid pressure motor 25through conduit 32, depression 33 in slider valve 34, and conduit 35.This will cause the flexible diaphragm 36 of fluid pressure motor 25 tobe pulled downwardly against the bias of spring 37 because of thecommunication between motor chamber 31 and the source of vacuum. A shaft38 is suitably attached to diaphragm 36 and will move along withdiaphragm 36 when it is deflected. A suitable mechanical linkage, whichis schematically depicted by dotted line 39, is coupled between shaft 38and damper 40, which normally assumes the solid line position shown inthe drawing when motor 25 is deactuated. Damper 40 serves the purpose ofclosing outside air duct 41 to prevent outside air from entering thepassenger compartment of the vehicle when the heating coil 23 is notactuated in the above described manner. However, once heating fluid issupplied to heat exchange coil 23 as described above, fluid pressuremotor 25 will cause damper 40 to assume its dotted line position tothereby permit fan 24 to supply fresh air through the heating coil 23 tothe passenger compartment through conduits 42, 43 and 44.

In the event it is desired to defrost the windshield 45 of the vehiclewhen the heater is not in operation, it is merely necessary to movedefrost lever 46 (Figs. 1 and 2) to the right in a counter-clockwisedirection about pivot pin 47 which is fixedly mounted relative to valve12 in any suitable manner, as described above relative to pin 17. Thiswill permit slider valve 48 to move to the right because of the urge ofspring 49 which is interposed between depending portion 58 of valve body28 and protuberance 51 extending from the rear of slider valve 48. Whenthis occurs depression 52 in slider valve 48 will cause communicationbetween conduits 27 and 30 within the valve body 28 to thereby permitthe circuit beyond conduit 30, as described above, to be completed tofluid pressure motor 25 to cause damper 4%) to assume its dotted lineposition to supply fresh air to the vehicle. A flexible cable 53 whichis aflixed to lever 46 is coupled to a valve (not shown) for supplyingheating fluid to heat exchange coil 23, for actuating fan 24, and foropening a damper (not shown) in the ductwork of the heater to routeheated air to the windshield through suitable additional ductwork (notshown), as is well understood in the art. It will be appreciated, ofcourse, that if lever 16 which controls the heater is already energized,the manipulation of lever 46 in a counterclockwise direction, -asdescribed above, merely results in opening the appropriate ductwork forsupplying heated air to the windshield.

When both levers 1'6 and 46 are in the position shown in the drawing sothat slider valves 18 and 48 do not permit communication of the fluidpressure source with fluid pressure motor 25, chamber 31 of the fluidpressure motor is vented to the atmosphere through conduit 35,depression 33 in slider valve 34, conduit 32, conduit 30 in valve body28, depression 52 in slider valve 48, conduit 54 in valve body 28, andconduit 55 in slider valve 18, conduit 55 having the end 56 thereof incommunication with the atmosphere. It can readily be seen that if eitherslider valve 18 or 48 is actuated, there can be no venting of motor 25in the above described path.

It will be appreciated, of course, as noted above, that selector valve12 is shown in exploded form and that in actual assembled conditionslider valves 18 and 48 have their lower and upper faces, respectively,in contact with the upper and lower faces, respectively, of body portion28 to permit the above described communication between the variousconduits to occur.

Whenever levers 16 and 46 associated with selector valve 12 are in theposition shown in the drawing, fluid pressure motor 25 will assume theposition also shown in the drawing to thereby cause damper 40 to closethe outside air intake duct 41 to prevent cold air from entering thepassenger compartment when hot fluid is not being supplied to heatexchange coil 23, as described above.

When it is desired to air condition the passenger compartment of theautomobile, selector or control valve 13 (Figs. 1 and 2) has lever 57thereof moved to the right in a counter-clockwise direction about pivotpin 58 which is fixedly mounted relative to body portion 59 of selectorvalve 13. A cable 60 which is attached to lever 58 causes fan 24 to bestarted and also causes a switch (not shown) to start the airconditioner (not shown), the evaporator or cooling coil 61 of which islocated in air duct 62. After lever 57 has been moved in thecounterclockwise direction, slider valve 63 will be biased to the rightby spring 64 which is interposed between upstanding portion 65 of bodyportion 59 and protuberance 66 which extends from slider valve 63. Thisaction causes the vacuum source (manifold 25') to communicate with fluidpressure motor 67 (which has the same construction as fluid pressuremotor 25) through conduit 26, conduit 27 in valve body 28, conduit 68which is in communication with conduit 27, conduit 69 in valve body 59,depression 70 in slider valve 63, conduit 71 in valve body 59, andconduit 72 to complete the circuit. The

supplying of vacuum to motor 67 will cause a flexible diaphragm therein(not shown) to cause shaft 73 to act through suitable mechanical linkage74 to move damper 75 to the dotted line position shown in the drawing,thereby causing fan 24 to route the inside air from the passengercompartment of the vehicle through conduit 42, conduit 43 and conduit 62back into the passenger compartment. It will be noted that when motor 67is actuated damper 75 assumes its dotted line position wherein itprevents the flow of air through heating coil 23. It will also be notedthat when damper 75 is in its solid line position (during heating ordefrosting), it prevents air from bypassing heating coil 23.Furthermore, when selector valve 12 is deactuated, as it would be whenthe air conditioning control is manipulated, damper 48 will be in itssolid line position to prevent a substantial amount of outside air frombeing mixed with the air from the passenger compartment which is beingrecirculated through the air conditioning system. This is desirable toprevent the air conditioning system from becoming overloaded by thepassage of hot outside air over evaporator coil 61 when the airconditioner is in operation.

However, when the air conditioner is in operation during warm but notextremely hot weather, it is sometimes desirable to supply cooled freshair to the passenger compartment rather than the recirculated air. Inorder to accomplish this, damper 40 should be opened when the airconditioner is in operation. To this end a fresh air control or valve 14(Figs. 1 and 2) is provided for permitting outside air to be suppliedfor air conditioning. When lever 76 (Figs. 1 and 2) of valve 14 is movedin a clockwise direction about pivot pin 76, depression 77 in plate 78will permit communication between conduit 79 (which is in communicationwith conduit '71 which is under vacuum when slider valve 63 has beenmoved to the right) and conduit 80 through port 81 in valve body 82.

When vacuum is supplied to conduit 80 it is also supplied to switch-overvalve 83 to cause fluid pressure motor 25 to be actuated,notwithstanding that motor 25 was previously vented to the atmospherewhen selector valve 12 was deactuated, as described above. As can beseen from the drawing, conduit 80 is in communication with conduit 84 inthe body portion 85 of switch-over valve 83. End 86 of conduit 84communicates with a chamber 87 having mounted therein a piston 88 whichis biased to the right by spring 89. When vacuum is supplied to chamber87, piston 88 will move to the left against the bias of spring 89. Whenthis occurs slider valve 34 which is linked to piston 88 throughconnecting shaft 90 and coupling 91, will move to the left to enabledepression 33 therein to cause communication between conduit 92 (whichis in communication with conduit 84) and conduit 35 which is incommunication with chamber 31 of motor 25. After the slider valve 34 hasmoved to the left, it will prevent communication of conduit 32 withdepression 33 to thereby end venting of chamber 31 through the abovedescribed path. Furthermore, after slider valve 34 has moved fully tothe left because of the action of piston 88, vacuum motor 25 will becaused to communicate with manifold 25' through conduit 35, depression33 in slider valve 34, conduit 92, conduit 80, depression 77 in portion78 of valve 14, conduit 79, conduit 71, depression 70 in slider valve63, conduit 69 in valve body portion 59, conduit 68, conduit 27 in bodyportion 28 of selector valve 12, and conduit 26. As explaned above, theactuation of fluid pressure motor 25 will cause damper 40 to move to itsdotted line position,

' therefore permitting outside air to be supplied through that motor 25may be vented to the atmosphere when both of the valves are not actuatedbut which is not vented to the atmosphere when either one or the otherof the valves is actuated, thereby preventing the vacuum source fromcommunicating with the atmosphere when one of the valves is in a ventedposition and the other valve is in an actuated position.

When the air conditioner is turned off by moving lever 57 in a clockwisedirection to thereby move slider valve 63 to the left in Fi 2, theabove-mentioned path of communication between the vacuum source andfluid pressure motor 67 is broken. Motor 67 is then vented to theatmosphere through conduit 72, conduit 71 in valve body 59, depression70 in slider valve 63, and conduit 93 (in valve body 59) which has thelower portion 94 thereof in communication with the atmosphere.Furthermore, after slider valve 63 has been moved to the left in Fig. 2,the vacuum in conduits 68 and 69 can no longer communicate with conduit71 through depression 70. Therefore, chamber 87 of switch-over valvewill no longer have vacuum therein and this chamber will communicatewith the atmosphere through conduit 84, conduit 80, depression 77 (inthe event that depression 77 is still in communication with port 81),conduit 79, conduit 71, depression 70, and conduit 93. When chamber 87is vented to the atmosphere in the above described manner, spring 89will cause piston 88 to move to the right and cause slider valve 34 tomove to the right also, thereby causing depression 33 in slider valve 34to communicate with conduit 32. This will permit the actuation of fluidpressure motor 25 when levers 16 or 46 associated with valve 12 areactuated. Furthermore, it can readily be seen that when the portion 78of valve 14 is moved to the position shown in the drawing, chamber 87 ofswitchover valve 83 will be vented to the atmosphere directly throughconduits 84, 80, and port 81 to permit subsequent actuation of motor 25by the manipulation of levers 16 or 46 associated with selector valve12.

It will be appreciated that when fluid pressure motor 67 has beendeactuated in the above described manner, lever 73 and associatedlinkage 74 will cause damper 75 to assume its full line position in Fig.2 to permit the system to be prepared for subsequent heating ordefrosting.

It will further be noted that selector valve 13 has conduit 69 thereinalways in communication with the vacuum source through conduit 68,conduit 27 in valve body 28, and conduit 26 which is in communicationwith the vacuum source 25'. Vacuum is supplied to selector valve 13through the above circuit regardless of whether selector valve 12 hasbeen actuated. This permits a single line such as 26 to be coupled tothe vacuum source with a plurality of dependent valves operable fromsaid source. I

It can thus be seen that my invention is manifestly capable of achievingthe objects and attendant advantages enumerated above, and while I havedescribed my invention in conjunction with a heating, defrosting and airconditioning system for an automobile, I desire it to be be understoodthat it is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied within thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A system for permitting actuation of a fluid pressure device by theselective manipulation of any of a plurality of valves associatedtherewith comprising a fluid pressure device, a fluid pressure source,first valve means operatively coupled between said fluid pressure deviceand said fluid pressure source, second valve means operatively coupledbetween said fluid pressure device and said fluid pressure source, andthird valve means operatively associated with said first and secondvalve means for permitting either said first valve means or said secondvalve means to actuate said fluid pressure device independently of eachother and for permitting proper venting of said device when both saidfirst and second valve means are deactuated.

2. An arrangement for permitting the actuation of a fluid pressuredevice from a fluid pressure source comprising first means adapted topermit communication between said fluid pressure device and said fluidpressure source to thereby permit actuation of said fluid pressuredevice, second means adapted to permit communication between said fluidpressure device and said fluid pressure source to thereby permitactuation of said fluid pressure device, venting means for permittingsaid fluid pressure device to be deactuated when neither said first orsecond means cause said communication between said fluid pressure deviceand said fluid pressure source, and means operatively associated withboth said first means and said second means for permitting either ofsaid first or second means to actuate said fluid pressure deviceindependently of each other while preventing venting of said fluidpressure device.

3. An arrangement for permitting actuation of a fluid pressure devicefrom a fluid pressure source comprising a first selector valveoperatively coupled between said fluid pressure device and said fluidpressure source, a second selector valve operatively coupled betweensaid fluid pressure device and said fluid pressure source, venting meansassociated with both said first and second selector valves forpermitting said fluid pressure device to be vented when both said firstand second selector valves are deactuated, and third valve means forautomatically permitting actuation of said fluid pressure device byeither said first selector valve or said second selector valve whilepreventing venting of said fluid pressure device.

4. An arrangement for permitting the actuation of a fluid pressuredevice from a fluid pressure source comprising first valve means adaptedto permit communication between said fluid pressure source and saidfluid pressure device, first venting means operatively associated withsaid first valve means for permitting said fluid pressure device to bevented, second valve means adapted to permit communication between saidfluid pressure sourceand said fluid pressure device, second ventingmeans operatively associated with said second valve means for permittingsaid fluid pressure device to be vented, and third valve meansoperatively associated with both said first valve means and said secondvalve means for both permitting either of said first or second valvemeans to actuate said fluid pressure device and preventing venting ofsaid fluid pressure device through the venting means associated with theother of said first or second valve means.

5. A system for permitting selective actuation of a plurality of fluidpressure devices either singly or in combination from a single fluidpressure source by selective utilization of a plurality of independentvalves comprising a first fluid pressure device, a first selector valve,first conduit means in said first selector valve for permittingcommunication of said first fluid pressure device with said fluidpressure source, a second fluid pressure device, a second selectorvalve, second conduit means for permitting communication between saidsecond selector valve and said fluid pressure source in all positions ofsaid first selector valve, third conduit means in said second selectorvalve for permitting communication between said second conduit means andsaid second fluid pressure device, and valve means for permittingactuation of said first fluid pressure device when said second fluidpressure device is actuated notwithstanding that said first selectorvalve is not directly causing communication between said first fluidpressure device and said fluid pressure source.

6. An arrangement for permitting a plurality of valves to actuate aplurality of fluid pressure devices from a single fluid pressure sourcecomprising a first fluid pressure device, a first selector valve,conduit means coupling said first selector valveto said fluid pressuresource, first conduitmeans coupling said first selector valve to saidfluid pressure device whereby said first selector valve may control theactuation of said first fluid pressure device by control of fluid fromsaid fluid pressure source, a second fluid pressure device, a secondselector valve adapted to control the actuation of said second fluidpressure device by control of fluid from said fluid pressure source,second conduit means for permitting communication of said secondselector valve with said fluid pressure source whether or not said firstselector valve is actuated, a third selector valve remotely positionedfrom said first selector valve and operatively coupled to said firstfluid pressure device, venting means associated with both said first andthird selector valves for permitting said first fluid pressure device tobe vented when both said first and third selector valves are deactuated,and valve means operatively associated with both said first selectorvalve and said remotely positioned third selector valve for permittingactuation of said first fluid pressure device by either said first orthird selector valves while preventing venting of said first fluidpressure device by the other of said first or third selector valves.

7. A valve arrangement comprising a body portion, first valve meansoperatively associated with said body portion for controlling theactuation of a fluid pressure device, second valve means operativelyassociated with said body portion for controlling the actuation of saidfluid pressure device, and venting means operatively associated withboth said first valve means and said second valve means for permittingsaid fluid pressure device to be vented when both said first and saidsecond valve means are deactuated but preventing venting when eithersaid first or second valve means are actuated.

8. A valve arnangement as set forth in claim 7 including conduit meansfor permitting said valve arrangement to act as a fluid pressure conduitfor permitting communication between a fluid pressure source and asecond fluid pressure device whether or not said first or second valvemeans are actuated.

9. A valve arrangement as set forth in claim 7 including control meansoperatively associated with at least one of said first or second valvemeans for causing a predetermined action when the valve means associatedtherewith are actuated.

10. In combination with a vehicle having a fluid pressure sourcetherein, an arrangement for selectively actuating a fluid pressuredevice from said fluid pressure source comprising first means adapted tocause communication between said fluid pressure device and said fluidpressure source, second means adapted to cause communication betweensaid fluid pressure device and said fluid pressure source, and thirdmeans operatively associated with both said first means and said secondmeans for permitting either said first or second means to actuate saidfluid pressure device while preventing venting of said fluid pressuredevice when the other of said first. or second means are not actuated.

11. In combination with a vehicle having a fluid pressure sourcetherein, an arrangement for permitting a plurality of valves to actuatea plurality of fluid pressure devices from a single fluid pressuresource comprising a first fluid pressure device, a first selector valve,first conduit means coupling said first selector valve to said fluidpressure source whereby said first selector valve may control theactuation of said first fluid pressure device by control of fluid fromsaid fluid pressure source, a second fluid pressure device, a secondselector valve adapted to control the actuation of said second fluidpressure device by control of fluid from said fluid pressure source,second conduit means for permitting communication of said secondselector valve with said fluid pressure source whether or not said firstselector valve is actuated, a third selector valve remotely positionedfrom said first selector valve and operatively coupled to said firstfluid pressure device, venting means associated with both said first andthird selector valves for permitting said first fluid pressure device tobe vented when both said first and third selector valves are deactuated,and valve means operatively associated with both said first selectorvalve and said remotely positioned third selector valve for permittingactuation of said first fluid pressure device by either said first orthird selector valves while preventing venting of said first fluidpressure device by the other of said first or third selector valves.

12. A system for permitting the actuation of a fluid pressure devicefrom a fluid pressure source comprising a first selector valveoperatively coupled between said fluid pressure device and said fluidpressure source, a second selector valve remotely positioned from saidfirst selector valve and operatively coupled between said fluid pressuredevice and said fluid pressure source, venting means associated withboth said first and second selector valves for permitting said fluidpressure device to be vented when both said first and said secondselector valves are deactuated, and third valve means for automaticallypermitting actuation of said fluid pressure device by operation ofeither said first selector valve or said remotely positioned secondselector valve while preventing venting of said fluid pressure device bythe other of said first or second selector valves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,247,141 Twyman June 24, 1941 2,586,932 Gardiner et al Feb. 26, 19522,782,769 Best Feb.. 26, 1957

